Bundle tying machine



y 1945. A. H. SAXTON 2,374,900

BUNDLE TYING MACHINE Filed Sept. s, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmwoa y 1, A. H. SAXTON I 2,374,900

BUNDLE TYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 3, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 y V g mi-tm 1 7/ ALEHTESAXTJM y 1, 1945- l A. H. SAXTON 2,374,900

' BUNDLE TYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 3, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwuc xnioc ALBFMII. SAX TUN.

y 1945- A. H. sAxToN 2,374,900

BUNDLE TYING MACHINE Filgd Sept. 3, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 T5 12- fiE-lfi- I'm-14- AL BER T H. SAX TUN.

. Patented Mar mum a. sum. Bliasfleld, men, mm to National Bundle lyer Company. Bllssfleld,

Mich a corporation of Michigan Application September a, 1m, semi m. ssmos (c1. tan-4) B-Ciaims.

This invention relates to machines for wrapping and tying strings about bundles, and par-.

ticularly to improvements in various features 'of such machines. 1 v An objectionable feature in theme of machines of this character, wherein a rotary tying head is employed, is that. so far as I am aware, no emcient means has been provided to tighten the kn t after disengagement from the tying head- 'bil. thereby leaving a relatively loose knot and loose string on the bundle.

A primary object of the invention is-to overcome'this objection by'the provision of simple and efiicient means operating in connection with the tying head to tighten the knot as it is slipped off the bill of the tying head and while a looped portion of the string is still held by the jaws of the bill. v A further object of the invention resides in an improvement in the string clamping feature of the bill jaws of the tying head, whereby the bill remains in engagement with thelooped portion of the string until after the forming and tightening of thetie has been completed and until the bill has moved back to a predetermined angle relative to the line of releasing pull on the engaged knot loop and a predetermined outward pulling force has been applied to the loop.

A further object oi the invention is the provision of improved tension means for the string machine embodying the invention, with the opcrating in at-rest position and-with parts broken away; Figs. 2 and 3 are-front and side, views,'respectively, thereof; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view oil a portion of the machine. with parts broken away and showing the string knotting and locking means. with the former tilted rearwardly in knotstripping position; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section o'n'the line 8-4 in Fig. 7. with the parts in upright at-rest position; Fig. 5A-is a fragmentary section on the line IA-IA in Fig. 5; Fig. 6 is a similar view, with the knot tying means partially tilted to stripping position; Fig. 'l is a top plan view of the string tying and clutch mechanisms inthe upright position shown in Fig. 5. with a portion of the frame broken away; Fig. 8 is a similar view of the tying mechanism in the partially tilted position shown in Fig. 8, showing a knot after being stripped from the tying head bill but not completely tightened; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the string clutching and tying mechanisms in upright position, as shown in Fig. '7, and with parts broken away; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation between the needle and source of supply, which means is normally active on the string during the major swinging movements of the needle to apply tension tothe string to resist feed thereof, and is automatically actuated by, the needle to release such tension when the needle is at the upper end portion of its stroke. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a needle arm that is longitudinally extensible radially of its swinging axis together with means for eifecting a lengthening and shortening of the arm during predetermined pertions of its swinging movements whereby the needle, when at its upper or at-rest position, will stand a greater height above the machine table than would be the case if the entire movement of the needle was concentric to its axisythus pro-- viding' greater room for the handling of bundlesto be tied.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from thetfollo'wing detaileddescription and from the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the improved machine,- in which- Figure 1 is a rear perspective 'elevationof a of the knot tying and knot stripping parts in substantially the relativeposition shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a face view of the combination intermittent gear and cam for operating the string clutching and tying mechanisms; Fig. 12 is a perspective viewof the string clutching and tying mechanismajwith' a string engaged therewith preparatory to tying; Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16 are perspective views of a tying head in tying engagement with a string and at difierent stages in the tying operation; Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a tying head after a knot has been formed therearound and at the initial stage of the knot stripping operation; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a portion of the tying head and the stripper means showing a. knot stripped from the head and in tightened position, with its loop still engaged by the jaws of the tying head, and

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a portion of the ed by a drivebelt to the small-pulley i of a nit-Vito: m Above z gg l" parallel therewith is mounted a second shaft i having, in the present instance, a loose sprocket wheel I I on its rear end within the lower portion of the housing or upright B and driven by a chain l2 from a much smaller sprocket wheel on the shaft 5. The shaft 0 I il'carries at its front end a combination cam and intermittent gear l5 for actuating the knot tying and string clutching mechanisms, and rearwardly thereof carries a cam I 8 which actuates the bundle holding means as hereinafter 10 described.

String feeding means The string 20 is supplied from a ball or other suitable source 2|, mounted on a bracket 22 supported by the upright 3, and is fed by a needle 25 around a bundle through an opening in the table and to the clutching and tying mechanisms of the machine. The form and general operation of these parts and mechanisms is like or similar to those heretofore used, except as hereinafter described. n

The rocker arm 26 for the needle is of right angular form and includes the radial inner end part 21 and the laterally projecting outer end part 28, by which latter the needle is carried. The radial part 21 fixedly projects from the forward end portion of a rock-shaft 29 mounted in the upright 3 above the table 2. A wheel 30,

preferably of drum form, is fixed tothe rear end 30 of the shaft 29, and predetermined rocking movements are imparted thereto by reciprocatory movements of a pull chain or strap 3!. This pull, member is of endless form and extends over the wheel 30, being fixed thereto at 3i, and under the idler 32, and is connected by a link 33 to the wrist pin of a crank 34 that is loosely mounted on the shaft It) at the rear side of the sprocket wheel Ii. A downstroke of the link 33 imparts a down or feeding movement to the needle and when the crank-arm is inits upright or at-rest -position, as shown in Fig. l, the nose of the pawl is engaged by a trip finger 40 which stands in its path of revoluble movement with the crankarm and holds the pawl raised from en agement with the ratchet. ried by a shift rod '4! and is movable by axial shifting movements of the rod into and out of register with the pawl end. The tripping movements of the rod 4| are effected by movements of The catch finger 40 is carconsists in making the radial part 21 of the rocker arm 23 of two-part 'telescoped form, so that it may be freely lengthened or shortened radially of its rocking axis and thus vary the radial distance of the horizontal part 23 of the rocker arm and the needle 25 from the rocking axis. To effect such action the outer section of the radial part 21 is provided with a roller 45 which, during swinging movements of the arm, travels in a camway 46. The lower portion of this way is concentric to the axis of the rock shaft 28, while its upper portion is eccentric thereto with its upper end terminating a greater distance from such axis than its lower end. This causes a lengthening of the radial arm part 21 as its roller 45 passes through the upper portion of the way, and efi'ects a greater spacing of the needle and arm part 28 above the table 2 than would otherwise be the case, thus providing more free space above the table for the insertion of bundles to be tied.

The outer section of the radial arm 21 is provided with an angular bracing part 41 whichslidingly engages a laterally projecting part 43 on the inner section of the radial arm and pre-.

vents the horizontal arm 28 from turning relative to the arm 21.

Another novel feature of the string feeding means consists in the tensioning means for the string, which means is automatically operable to remove the tension from the string when the needle is in its upper at-rest position, and is automatically operable to engage and tension the string during the feed strokes of the needle.

The string 20 as it unwinds from the ball 2| passes, in the present instance, through guiding eyes 50, thence down along the frame part ll between it and a spring-pressed clamping finger 52. The string thence loops outwardly through a guiding eye at'the end of a. spring finger i3 and back therefrom over the needle 25 lengthwise thereof through a. series of guiding eyes thereon. The tension finger 62 is hinged at its upper end and is yieldingly held in clamping engagement with the string by a spring 64. A release lever 55 is fulcrumed to the frame 5| adjacent to the lower end of the tension finger 52 and has a substantially horizontally extending long arm a (Fig. 1), which rides over and is raised by the needle 25 as it nears and reaches its normally at-rest or starting position. The inner end of the lever 55 is provided with an upright finger b which, when the lever is rocked by engagement of the needle therewith, is caused to engage the adjacent free edge portion of the tension finger 52 and move it sufficiently to re- 1 lease its tension engagement with the string. It is thus apparent that when the needle is in its raised or at-rest position, it holds the lever 55 the lever 42 which engages the free end Of the raised to release the tension of the finger 52 rod and may be actuated in any suitable manner.

It is apparent that when the rod 4| is moved to the right (Fig. 1), it passes from under the pawl 31, permitting it to. engage the rotating ratchet wheel 36 and turn the crank-arm 34. At

the end of a complete revolution of the crankarm the nose of the pawl 31 strikes the finger 40, which then stands in its path of movement, and releases the engagement of the pawl with the ratchet. arm 34, the link 33 actuates the chain 3| to impart a down or string feeding stroke to the needle 25, and. during an upstroke the spring 35 acts to impart an upstroke to the needle.

A novel feature of the needle operating means 75 During a downstroke of the crankon the string, thereby enabling the string to.

String clutching or locking operation Beneath the table 2 is located the string tying mechanism A and at its left the string clutching or locking mechanism B, as shown particularly in rigs; 4. v and 9, and which in their general arrangement and operation, except for specific features hereinafter described, are well unasvasoo derstood in the art. The purpose of the mechanism B is to clamp and hold the two ends of a string after it has been looped about a bundle and duringa part of the string tying operation.

This clutching mechanism includes a pairof spaced string clamping fingers (Figs. 4 and 9 which are vertically disposed and spaced at their upper ends by a companion clutch finger I that is mounted for rocking-movements relative to it. forwardpcsition relative to the fingers ll.

The clamped string extends from the clutch mechanism to the right under the bill of the tying mechanism A; as hereinafter described. iaqnd thence up to the needle 2|, as indicated in A bundle, when placed on the table 2 preparatoryto being tied, is moved to the left against the depending string 2|, which is clamped at its lower end by the mechanism 3, such movement of the bundle continuing until it has looped the string about the left side and bottom of the the fingers 80 in the plane of their faces and has its inner arcuate edge slidable over the upper inner edge portions of the fingers til and also serving as a spacing means therefor. The fingers ilhave their upper ends curved so that they approach the finger 6i lengthwise thereof in curved or wedging relation.

nates at its free end in a downwardly extending shoulder or hook nose .2 which serves to draw an engaged string back between the clamping edges of the fingers Oil and the finger ii when .the latter is rearwardly rocked. A clamping tenthe upper end of a rocker frame 66 of the tying mechanism A and projects through vertical slots in the two fingers. The outer or left hand finger 60, in Fig. 9, has an outward side thrust against a stop washer 61 on the pin, while the outer or right side of the other finger ill receives the thrust action of a coiled expansion spring 68 on the stud, which is adjustable as to tension by a nut 89.

During a tying action, it is necessary for the clutch means to yield in the direction of the knot in order to supply sufficient string for the knot, and this is accomplished by the clamping fingers 60 and ti swinging as a unit toward the tying mechanism against the tension of the spring 88. To permit this movement of the clutch fingers, they are mounted at their inner or lower ends for rocking movements about the axis of a forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft III. This shaft is carried by a rocker frame II, which in The lower or, I curved clamping surface of the finger 8i tennibundle. and the right hand side of the bundle is substantially in vertical register with the tying head of the mechanism A. When a bundle tying cycle of'the machine is started, the feed needle is caused to swing downward around the bundle and under the knotter bill and the forwardly projecting end of the clutch finger ll, thus placing the downwardly swung portion of the string in substantially the relationship to the bundle. the tying head and the clutch, as shown by the length ofstring 20 in Fig. 12. The tension on'the string 20' cause it to be drawn into clamped engagement with the initial meeting edges of the fingers ill an it, so that it is held firmly thereby. When the tying operation, ex-

turn is carried for forward and backward rocking movements, or in a direction at right angles to the axis of the shaft III, by a stub shaft 12 (Fig. '9) that is journaled in a bearing 13 in the adjacent side of the rocker frame 86. A roller II is carried by the forward end of the shaft I0, and this roller engages an operating cam, as hereinafter described, to impart a predetermined rearward rocking movement to the frame II and clamping finger ii at each bundle tying cycle. The fingers have. loose connection at their lower ends with the free end portion of the finger 8.! so as to permit the fingers 80, due to their engagement with the stud 65, to be held against such rocking action.

In the operation of the clutch mechanism B the free or lower end of the string 20, whenthe feed needle is in the raised, at-rest or bundlereceiving position shown in Fig. 1, is disposed between the coactingedge portions of the fingers 60 and GI and firmly clamped thereby. At such stage the fingers are in the relative clamping relation shown in Fig. 12, with the finger Si in cent for the knot stripping action, hasbeen completed, as hereinafter described, a. cam projection It on the combination cam and gear wheel II will have moved into engagement with the roller 14 and effected a'rearward tilting of the clutch mechanism frame ii and a consequent rearward rocking of the finger 6i relative to and in engagementwith' the fingers 60 to further engage the portion 20" of the string with the clutch. This engagement of the clutch constitutes the anchorage for the portion 20 of the string when the feed needle has swung back'to its raised, at-rest position, preparatory to another bundle wrapping and tying operation of the machine. As the tying and clutch mechanisms A and B swing back to the position shown in Fig. 4, which occurs after the initial tying of the knot and during the knot stripping operation, the two lengths of strings I. and 20' between the tying head and clutch swing into engagement with and are severed by a stationary knife 16 (Figs. '7, 9 and 19). When the strings have been thus severed, the compression of the spring 68 is relieved, and such spring. acts to move the clutch parts to the left to their nor- 1 mal positions.

As the clutch finger si nears the limit of its intended rearward rocking movement, which is less than that of the rocker frame Ii, the rear end of the shaft It, which is projected rearwardlybeyond the frame, strikes an obstruction 'II on the machine frame I and returns said rocker frame and finger 8| to their normal position relative to the fingers 60.

Tying mechanism frame and a knot tying head 0 at its upper end above the frame and for turning movements with the shaft.

The head C includes an upper stationary jaw II and a lower movable jaw 88 cooperating to form a bill, with the former providing an inclined shoulder 80 at its under side in advance of the free clamping end of the lower jaw. The incline of the shoulder 80 is downwardly and forwardLv from a vertical plane when the head C is in the upright position shown in Fig. 5, and

the clamping end of the lower Jaw is complemental to this. The purpose of this is to hold the string in engagement with the head until a predetermined knot tying tension has been applied thereto and the head is tilted a predetermined extent relative to the direction of pull of the string to facilitate release of the string from the head, as hereinafter more fully described.

The movable jaw 88 is pivoted to the head for rocking movements about an axis 9|, and its rear or tail end extends downward and carries a roller 02 which, when the head is rotated, travels around a stationary cam 83 on the top of the frame 66 and coacts therewith to impart an opening movement to the jaw. The lobe portion of the cam is indicated at 83* and is positioned so that theiaw is not opened until the head has made approximately three-quarters of a turn, as indicated in Fig. 15, and the jaw then remains open until the head has nearly completed its turn or cycle. The law in closing grips and holds the two end lengths 20 and 20' of the string, which are held by and extend from the clutch B. This tying action, except for the particular manner of holding the strings in engagement with the jaws, is common to machines of this character and need not, therefore, be more fully described.

When the Jaw 88 has been closed against the jaw 80 to clamp the engaged strings, the roller 92 will have moved into engagement with'the upper end portion of a rocker arm 94, which is pressed forward by a spring 95 to exert a yielding closing string gripping action on the Jaw.

The arm 94 is pivoted at 96 to the rear side of the frame 66. The tension of the spring 85 is varied by a turning of the screw 98 on which it is mounted.

The turning of the tying head shaft 86 is effected at a predetermined point in a rotation of V the cam I5 by the engagement of a gear segment I00 thereon with the pinion 81.

' completed a turn a shoulder 81 on the hub of the pinion 81 is engaged by a spring pressed finer 81 (Fig. 5A) to prevent back turning. This finger is mounted for limited rocking movements to permit the shoulder 81? to pass it during forward turning.

The frame 68 has an arm I03 projecting forwardly from its lower end and cooperating therewith to'form a bell-crank form of lever, the fulcrum of which is the shaft 85. The arm carries a roller I00 that travels in a camway I05 on the inner or rear face of the cam-gear I5. As the outwardly extending or bulged portion of the cam portion I05 passes the roller I 04, which is timed to take place after a complete knot forming turning of the head 0, th frame 68 is rocked rearward from the upright position shown in Fig. 5 to and beyond the partial rearwardly Inclined position shown in Fig, 6. During this rocking action a pair of opposing knot stripping fingers IIO act on the formed knot topeel or force it from the bill of the tying head xcept for the loop d (Fig. 18) thereof, which is clamped to the.

jaw 00 at the inner end of the inclined shoulder 80 by the jaw 89 and held until the rocking action has been nearly completed.

The two fingers IIO are pivoted to the under side oiithe table I, with a finger disposed at each side of the tying head 'and extending forwardly from its pivot, as best shown in Figsr'l and 8. Each of these fingers is urged inward toward the bill of the tying head by a spring III, and when the .tying mechanism is in uprightposition, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, are held spaced from the head and in substantially "parallel relation to each other by the coaction therewith of spaced rollers 2, which, in the present instance, are carried at the upper end of the pressure arm 94. Inasmuch as the arm 94 has rocking movements with the frame 86, it is apparent that the rollers II! will be positively swung rearward from spacing engagement with the fingers IIO when the tying head is rocked rearwardly, thus permitting the nose or stripping ends of the fingers IIO to swing inward under the action of their tension springs into engagement with the respective sides of the tying head at the rear of the formed knot thereon. The rollers III pass i from spreading engagement with the side of the head immediately after the head starts its rearward movement and the fingers 0 then continue in knot stripping positions until the head has completed such movement. When the rearward swing of the tying head has been nearly completed, the forward ends ,of the fingers will stand a distance in advance of the head bill in the positions relative thereto substantially as illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19. As the formed knot is peeled from the head bill by the action of the fingers IIO, the looped portion d of the string, which is engaged to the inclined shoulder of the jaw 88, continues to be held thereby until the portion of the knot around the bill has been peeled or rolled therefrom along the portion'd. In so doing, the knot is pushed toward the bundie and caused to be tightened on the portions 20 and 20' of the string extending therefrom,

This tightening action of the knot on the string is one of the important features of the present invention as it not only stri the knot r from the head bill but also tends to slide the knot up along the string portions 20 and 20 and to tighten it against the bundle rather than permitting it to be drawn tight by the expansive action of the bundle after the tying has been completed by the machine and the bundle released, as has heretofore been the case. A loosening of the string with respect to the bundle by the knot tightening action is, therefore, avoided.

It is apparent that as the knot is tightened by the action of the fingers IIO, the tying head continues to rock rearward, thus reducing the angle of the loop holding shoulder 80 of the jaw 88 to the line of pull on the loop d, so that the Jaw 89 will open against the tension of the spring 95 when the pulling force of the loop on the shoulder and the reduction in inclination of the shoulder to the line of pull are such as to overcome the spring tension of the movable jaw. It is thus apparent that the loop at extending from the knot iiriotjrelea'sed from the head laws more Dr we fe t I'll F188- 3 an c r y until a predete ned tightening pressure is aparms II. projecting from vertically rectprocatory plied to the knot by the stripper nngers III, and

that such pressureis determined by the tension exerted by the spring against the pressure arm 00 and he cooperating action of the in- #tying operations in a cycle, as determined by the member I0 in its illustrative arrangement of parts, and which operations are effected'in a single complete turn of said member, is as -fol-.

.lows: Looking at the outer side of the member I! (Fig. 2), it turns in clockwise direction and its 'at-rest position is as shown. As the member starts its revolution, it turns approximately 160 .with the registering portion of the locking rim I0! in locking engagement with the flat 01- on the tying head pinion 81. Said rim then releases the pinion, and the drive gear segment I00, which is approximately long, moves into mesh with and imparts a, complete turn to the head to form the knot thereon. The rim IOI then again en-. gages the fiat of the pinion andholds the head against turning for the remainder of the cycle.

Upon completing a turning of the head, the roller I04 begins traveling up the bulge of the camway I05 andstarts the rearward rocking of the tying head, which movement is completed when the member It has advanced approximately 78 from head turning position. During the remainder of the cycle, the head is returned to its upright position. Approximately coincidentwith the completion of the turning of the head, the cam 00 on the member I0 will engage the roller II and effect a rearward rocking of the clutch mechanism frame II and the; clutch finger BI.

Inasmuch as the member I5 and the needle actuating crank 34 are on the same shaft, it

is apparent that the feeding stroke of the needle will take place approximately during the first half of turning movement of the member I5 and that the retractng stroke of the needle will take place during the last half of such movement. It is also apparent that the cam 80 will engage the roller I4 and effect a rearward rocking of the frame 'II and clutch finger 6i approximately coincident with the engaging of the rack or gear teeth I00 with the head turning pinion. Both end portions of the "wrapping string will thus be firmly held by the clutch during the knot-tying action. so that a shortening of the-string portions Bundle holding means 7 The bundle holding means includes one or rods III which are normally held inraised position by contractile'springs III. A strap II! extends from each rod III downwardly around a sheave I20 in the lower portion of the frame I, and thenceconnects through a contractile spring I2I to one arm' of a lever I22 mounted on a shaft ill. .The other arm of the lever carries a roller which travels on the periphery of the cam I0 that rotates with the shaft III. This cam is designed to-lower the pressure feet into engagement with the bundle at the initial portion of a cycle of operations and to continue the clamping action until the tying of the bundle has been completed. Nothing novel is claimed for this bundle holding mechanism.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction; arrangement or form of the parts. as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent. is:

' 1. In a, bundle tying machine, a rotatable and tiltable tying head having stationary and movable jaws, the stationary jaw having an inclined shoulder-in advance of the free end of the move able Jaw and cooperating therewith to grip and hold a portion of the knot string when a formed knot is stripped from the head bill, said shoulder being inclined to the line of stripping force applied to the knot with the angle of inclination to said force line diminishing as the head is tilted away from its knot forming position whereby the holding force oi the jaws on an engaged string diminishes with the tilting movement.

2. In a bundle tying machine, a rotatable and tiltable tying head having a stationary jaw and a movable iavi yieldingly closing thereagainst to grip the string of a knot being tied, said stationary jaw having an inclined shoulder cooperating with the nose of the movable jaw to hold an engaged string against release from the head, yielding tension means for the movable law to hold it closed, said shoulder" and tension means cooperating to cause the string to be held by the Jaws against a releasing force until the head has been tilted a predetermined extent back from forming position to lessen the angle of inclination of said shoulder to the line of said force.

3. In a bundle tying machine, a rotatable and tiltable tying head including fixed and movable string clamping iaws, means serving to yieldingly hold the Jaws closed when the head is in knot stripping position, means operable to strip a formed knot from the head bill andwhile an anchoring portion of the string is still engaged by the jawsand to tighten the knot on said portion away from the head lengthwise of its bill, said fixed jaw having a clamping shoulder which is inclined outwardly therefrom in the direction of pull on the clamped string portion whereby the force necessary to release said portion from the head jaws diminishes as the-head is rearwardly tilted and becomes effective before the head has reached the limit of said tilt.

4. In a bundle tying machine, a pair of opposed stripper fingers pivotally mounted forswinging movements of their free ends toward and away from each other, means yieldingly urging movements of said fingers toward each other, a tiltable and rotatable tying head between said fingers,

means tiltable with the head and acting on the 6 asraooo fingers to hold them outwardly from the head when in one position and permitting the fingers to move inwardly against the head bill when'the head is initially tilted from such .positionand movements in, a plane transverse to the string and to, cooperate with :sa'id'iirst members to clutch a string while being tied, and means operable to 'rock' said companion clutch member to strip a formed knot therefrom and tighten it ,relative tothe frame and said first clutch memalong a head gripped portion of the knot string as the head continues its tilting movement, and means operable to tilt the head.

5. In a bundle tying machine, a rotatable and tiltable knot tying head having iixedmand movable Jaws forming a bill, the fixed-Jaw an inclined shoulder .in advance ofr the end or the other jaw and cooperating therewith to hold a portion of a knot string engaged with the head bill, said lnclinebeing outwardly from the inner surface of its Jaw whereby a knot stripping-force applied lengthwise of the bill will tend; to slide and means yiel Ibers to grip a string to the latter in predetermined relation to a tying operation.

7. In a bundle tying machine having a rocker :frame, means for rocking the frame, and a head *lmtying means carried by and rockable with the frame, a string clutch means carried by said frame and rockable therewith, said clutch means including a pair of clutch fingers anchored to the frame to rock therewith, a, companion clutch .1s ,-i'inger carried by said frame and rockable relative thereto transverse to its rocking axis to clutch to saldpair of fingers a string to be tied, all of-saidflngers being rockable together relative to the frame toward and away from the tyclosed and cooperating with said shoulder to pre- '20 ,lng means, means yieldingly resisting said movevent slipping of the string from the shoulder until the head has been tilted rearwardly a predetermined extent tov reduce said angle of inclination relative to the ,line of applied force and-until a merit of the fingers toward the tying means, and means for rocking said companion finger in predetermined relatlon to a rocking of the said frame.

predetermined opening pressure has been applied .25 8'."In a bundle tying machine including atiltby said force to the movable Jaw.

6. In a bundle tying machine'having a rocker frame, means for rocking the frame, anda knot tying means carried by and rotatable with the able and rotatable tying head having a bill with string gripping jaws, a pair of opposed stripper fingers mounted for movements toward and away from each other with said bill disposed therebeframe, a string clutch mechanism including 30 tween, whereby .the fingers may engage and strip yieldingly spaced clutch members anchored to said rocker frame for rocking movements therewith and yleldingly movable toward and away from the knot tying means lengthwise of a gripped string being tied, a companion clutch member carried by said frame for rocking movements therewith and for independent rocking a knot from the bill during a predetermined tilt ing movement'of the tying head, and means operable to move the fingers out of knot stripping position during predetermined portions of the '35 head tilting movements.

ALBERT H. SAXTON. 

